First Look Insights (FLI)
If you’re applying to competitive New York City private schools for Kindergarten or First Grade, planning ahead is essential. Many independent schools begin their admissions process nearly one year before enrollment, making early preparation one of the best ways to help your child succeed.
Many leading NYC independent schools, including Riverdale Country School, Horace Mann School, and other participating schools, use the First Look Insights (FLI) assessment as part of their admissions process. The FLI helps admissions teams better understand a young child’s readiness for school by evaluating foundational academic skills and early learning development.
TESTINGMOM The Trusted Leader in Gifted Test Prep
Join the 1 Million+ families who we have helped over the last 15 years.
What Is the First Look Insights (FLI) Assessment?
The FLI is an age-appropriate, one-on-one assessment administered online using a computer, laptop, or tablet with a reliable internet connection. Children complete the assessment individually while wearing headphones to minimize distractions and allow them to focus on each activity.
Rather than measuring how much a child has memorized, the FLI evaluates the skills that help predict future academic success. The assessment is designed to be engaging and interactive while giving schools insight into a child’s readiness for a rigorous learning environment.
Skills Measured on the FLI
The FLI assesses both early mathematics and early literacy skills.
Early Math Skills
Children may be asked to demonstrate their understanding of:
- Counting and number recognition
- Basic addition and subtraction concepts
- Patterns and sequencing
- Sorting and classifying
- Comparing quantities
- Measurement and time concepts
- Spatial relationships and directionality
- Mathematical reasoning and problem solving
Early Literacy Skills
The assessment also measures important pre-reading and language skills, including:
- Vocabulary development
- Letter and number identification
- Shape recognition
- Letter sounds and phonics
- Rhyming and alliteration
- Syllable segmentation
- Phonological awareness
- Print awareness
- Listening comprehension
- Story retelling
- Story structure (beginning, middle, and end)
- Creative storytelling using pictures
These foundational skills help schools determine whether students are prepared for the academic expectations of Kindergarten or First Grade.
TESTINGMOM The Trusted Leader in Gifted Test Prep
- 1M+ families helped
- 15+ years supporting test prep families
- Created by Karen Quinn, The Testing Mom, the foremost expert on gifted tests
How TestingMom Can Help
Preparing ahead of time can help children feel more confident and comfortable with the types of thinking and questions they may encounter on the FLI.
TestingMom offers engaging activities, practice questions, parent lessons, printable worksheets, games, and one-on-one tutoring that help children build the reasoning, math, language, and early literacy skills measured by the assessment. Our materials are designed to make learning enjoyable while helping children become familiar with the testing experience.
Whether your child is applying to Riverdale Country School, Horace Mann School, or another participating independent school, early preparation can help them demonstrate their abilities with confidence.
Explore our FLI Parent Lessons and sample quantitative reasoning activities to learn more about the skills your child will encounter during the assessment.
See if TestingMom.com supports your child’s test by your school district. If you don't see your child's school district listed, check with us! We have practice for other tests as well.
Tell us about your experiences